47 - Children’s Oral Health Pre-and Post Pandemic: Findings from Arkansas’s 2023 3rd Grade BSS

Description: The Arkansas Department of Health’s Office of Oral Health conducted a Basic Screening Survey (BSS) in the 2023 spring semester to assess oral health indicators among 3rd grade students in public schools. Fifty-one public schools, including forty-six schools that participated in the 2019 BSS, participated in the 2023 BSS. Schools were selected by geographic and sociodemographic characteristics to provide appropriate representation. Registered dental hygienists screened 3,256 third grade students for untreated decay, decay experience (treated decay), sealants, and need for early or urgent care. Untreated decay and decay experience were lower compared to 2019 findings. A reduction in dental sealants was observed in 2023 BSS findings with only 29.3% of students compared to 41.2% in 2019; (95%CI [25.9, 32.7]). Hispanic children had the highest prevalence of decay experience (66.7%; 95%CI [62.5, 70.8]) while Black/African American had the lowest prevalence of dental sealants (18.8%), 95%CI [13.0, 24.6]. Participants in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) were observed to have the following oral health indicators: 64.2% decay experience, 20.1% untreated decay, 27.6% with sealants. Non-NSLP participants’ oral health indicators were as follows: 51% decay experience, 13.4% untreated decay, and 30.5% with sealants. BSS findings indicate that children’s access to evidence-based preventive services like dental sealants was potentially diminished by the COVID-19 pandemic. Protective daily oral hygiene practices may have been maintained despite disruption to daily school and work activities. Attendees of this roundtable will learn about the project model, oral health findings, and strategies to ensure successful completion of BSS projects.

Source of

Funding: : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention DP18-1810: State Actions to Improve Oral Health Outcomes